


Drama in the Special Collections

by DefinitelyNotScott



Category: Cthulhu Mythos - H. P. Lovecraft
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 3, Gen, Humor, Miskatonic University, My deepest apologies to anyone who actually knows how special collections work, academic pettiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:55:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23048896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefinitelyNotScott/pseuds/DefinitelyNotScott
Summary: Whowill be forced to accept the First Folio?Whatis Anthropodermic Bibliopegy?Wherewill the lines of alliance be drawn?Whenwill academics learn to be reasonable?Whywould someone donate Shakespeare to an American History collection?Howdid it end up like this?
Comments: 6
Kudos: 8
Collections: Purimgifts 2020





	Drama in the Special Collections

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CenozoicSynapsid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CenozoicSynapsid/gifts).



> If you're seeing this message I haven't finished wrestling Work Skins into making this look more like an email exchange so please use your imagination. >.< Sorry.
> 
> Photo by [Brian Smithson](https://www.flickr.com/photos/smithser/4786319743)

Dr. Clara Ashton-Smith, Head of the Occult Collection:  
Regret to inform you that the recently acquired First Folio was erroneously delivered to the Occult Collection. It has been forwarded to its permanent home in the Early History of the Americas Collection.

Dr. Alice Murray, Head of the Early History of the Americas Collection:  
On intake the Folio was determined to be a better fit for the Occult Collection, as evinced by Prospero’s research, the witches chant, et al. Please confirm receipt on delivery.

Dr. Clara Ashton-Smith, Head of the Occult Collection:  
Respectfully remind the head of the Early History of the Americas Collection that the Occult acquisitions department is a better arbiter of which texts best fit the collection in question. Folio returned with appropriate paperwork.

Dr. Alice Murray, Head of the Early History of the Americas Collection:  
Respectfully remind the Occult Collection that their location and budget compose the best fit for the Folio’s care and security requirements. Make arrangements as necessary, Folio returns to your care.

Dr. Wilhelmina Phillips, Miskatonic University Archive Curator:  
Are you seriously squabbling over who _has_ to take a _First Folio_?

-Time Passes-

Dr. Camille Reglas, Anthropodermic Collection Head:  
Hey guys, I think one of you goofed on your transfer code because this Folio definitely doesn’t belong in the Anthropodermic Collection and I have the Peptide Mass Fingerprinting to prove it.

Dr. Wilhelmina Phillips, Miskatonic University Archive Curator:  
A) What are you doing to that poor Folio???  
B) Have you two been shunting a _First Folio_ back and forth _this whole time_ via _transfer_?

Dr. Wilhelmina Phillips, Miskatonic University Archive Curator:  
Listen, if neither of you wants it the Archive will take it.

Dr. Alice Murray, Head of the Early History of the Americas Collection:  
Regretfully, while my esteemed colleague may disagree, as the Folio in question was bequeathed to the Miskatonic University Library System and not the Miskatonic University Archives we would be remiss in our duty to the donor’s memory by letting it change hands so radically.

Dr. Clara Ashton-Smith, Head of the Occult Collection:  
If only your conscientiousness regarding the Folio extended to honoring the donor’s wishes for placement _within_ the library.

Dr. Camille Reglas, Anthropodermic Collection Head:  
A) PMF is currently the field’s standard method of identifying binding materials, so nothing I wouldn’t do to any other incoming addition to my collection.  
B) That seems to be the case.  
C) I’m sending it back to Occult.

**Author's Note:**

> So.... I was reading about Brown University because people theorize that Lovecraft used it as inspiration for Miskatonic. And apparently they have a fairly large collection of books bound in human skin (four - four is a large number when it comes to human-bound books). Obviously when I read that I was like "...How Lovecraftian." They also have "...the world's leading collection of primary historical sources about the Americas before 1825" which received a First Folio based on the premise that _The Tempest_ takes place in the New World (at least according to Wikipedia). ...Annnd these pieces of information formed a slurry in the back of my mind until suddenly this came out. You seemed to like more serious stuff, but this one kind of went comedic on me and it's too late to start over so I hope you like it okay! :D


End file.
